Princess Eleonore of Belgium has made a memorable royal milestone on Tuesday evening as she wore a tiara for the first time during a grand state banquet hosted by Belgium’s royal family.
The 18-year-old princess joined her parents, King Philippe of Belgium and Queen Mathilde of Belgium, along with her three siblings for the formal event at Royal Palace of Laeken, held in honor of Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako during their state visit.
The banquet marked the first time all four of King Philippe and Queen Mathilde’s children attended a state banquet together, making the evening a significant moment for the Belgian monarchy.
Princess Eleonore captured attention with her first tiara appearance, wearing a previously unseen piece from the royal collection. The jewel, created by Brussels jeweler Coosemans, was reportedly gifted to her by her parents for her 18th birthday in April.
Members of European royal families traditionally begin wearing tiaras once they reach adulthood, making Eleonore’s debut an important step in her public royal role.
For the occasion, the young royal paired the tiara with a pastel pink dress featuring a swan-neck design and elegant straight-cut silhouette. Her appearance drew comparisons to other royal women who have worn similar classic formal styles.
Eleonore’s older sister, Princess Elisabeth of Belgium, also attended the banquet wearing the Brabant Laurel Tiara, a diamond piece made up of 631 diamonds set in platinum.
Queen Mathilde embraced the Japanese theme of the evening with a powder pink gown embroidered with traditional Japanese fans and lotus flowers. She completed the look with the Diamond Empire Tiara, also known as the Tiara of the Nine Provinces.
Empress Masako wore the Honeysuckle Tiara, a historic piece connected to Japan’s imperial family.
The glittering dinner welcomed around 160 guests as Belgium hosted the Japanese emperor and empress for the start of their three-day state visit.